Mary Panek

MARY PANEK Lisbon

Mary Elizabeth Panek, 75, of rural Lisbon, died Wednesday evening, April 30, 2014, at Hallmark Care Center, Mount Vernon. Funeral Mass: 10 a.m. Monday at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids, by Father Christopher Podhajsky. Burial, with military honors: St. John's Cemetery, Cedar Rapids, by American Legion Moomey-Vogel Post 727. Friends may call from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Papich-Kuba Funeral Home East, 1228 Second St. SE, Cedar Rapids, where a rosary begins at 3:30 p.m.

Mary is survived by nieces and nephews, Maureen (Rick) Boots, William (Stacey) Boston, Diane (Gary) Novak, Francis (Stacy) Boston, Marietta (Brian) Sippy, Teresa Boston, Benedict Boston, Elizabeth (Merritt) Robertson, Joseph (Pam) Slater, Kathy (Blake) Mohr, Mike (Kim) Kopernik and Tom Kopernik; and numerous great-nieces, great-nephews, great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph; her parents, Harley Sr. and Dorothy (Wells) Petty; brothers, Joseph, Harley Jr., Lewis and David Petty; and nephews, Daniel Boston and David Slater.

Mary Elizabeth Petty was born June 24, 1938, in Bellefontaine, Ohio. She married Joseph J. Panek on May 23, 1959, at Lackland AFB, Texas, and he died Sept. 8, 1994. Following her marriage, she and Joe moved to Cedar Rapids, where they lived until moving to a farm in rural Lisbon in 1966. Mary helped Joe with the farm work and also was employed as a supervisor in the City of Cedar Rapids print shop for many years.

Mary was a Women's Army Corps veteran and a member of St. John's Catholic Church, Mount Vernon. She was a very patriotic person and enjoyed playing cards and cut-throat Scrabble games.

Mary was a wonderful cook and enjoyed preparing family dinners.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Eastern Iowa Honor Flight Program.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.papich-kubafs.com under obituaries.